BY ANDRES FOCIL

“We are excited to have Jess join our club,” Van Horn said. “He is an outstanding pitcher, who should be able to help us right away.”

The right-hander went 9-2 with a 1.47 ERA and 73 strikeouts last season at Navarro [Texas] Junior College. Todd pitched for the Coppell Copperheads this summer in the Texas Collegiate League, posting a 5-2 record with a 2.21 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 61 innings.

He joins a veteran pitching staff that has had an outstanding summer.

Nick Schmidt finished the summer with a 3-1 record for USA National Team. He boasted a 1.31 ERA in 34.1 innings of work, while striking out 38 and issuing just 13 walks. Schmidt allowed just 20 hits and five earned runs all summer long.

Fellow Razorback junior Shaun Seibert also turned in a dominating performance this summer, being named the Co-Pitcher of the Year in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Seibert pitched for the Brewster Whitecaps and finished the season with 6-0 record and an amazing 0.35 ERA in 51.2 innings of work.

Senior right-handed pitcher Chris Rhoads pitched very well for the Nevada Griffons in the Jayhawk Summer League. He was 3-2 with a 3.22 ERA in 44.2 innings of work. He fanned 48 and walked just 15.